


On the Beach

by whatanauthorsgottado (LvanAm)



Series: Environmentshipping Soulmate AU [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Versions
Genre: M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Timers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 05:17:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13451352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LvanAm/pseuds/whatanauthorsgottado
Summary: Maxie and Archie meet for the first time.





	On the Beach

Maximilian didn't want to go to the beach. He hated the beach. There were always too many people around, and he always got a sunburn on his face and sand everywhere.

Not that his parents cared. They never really listened to him, barely interacted with him at all; his nanny was raising him more than they were, and probably doing a better job of it, at that.

Regardless, they were at the beach, and he had escaped the overprotective eye of his nanny and was currently walking up and down a little patch of sand surrounded by trees, muttering to himself.

"Not fair at all... I never get to pick where we get to go... Always Mother and Father, and they pick the worst spots... And they never listen to me at all, and it just isn't fair!"

"Who're ya talkin' to?" said a voice behind him suddenly, and Maximilian turned to find a dark-skinned boy sitting on a rock watching him.

As he met the other boy's dark eyes, he felt a sort of shock run through him. Instinctively, he looked down at his wrist and at the green-and-blue timer on it that had been there since birth. The blue part had ticked down to zero, and it was flashing every second.

"Oh! Hey! You're my soulmate!" Maximilian looked up to find the boy now standing in front of him, holding his arms out to his sides, open. "I'm Archie! Or Archibald, but only when I'm bad."

"Maximilian." He held his hand out for a handshake, like he had seen his father do at various functions, but the other boy brushed it aside and threw his arms around his narrow waist.

"That's hard to say. Can I call you something else?"

Maximilian was stunned by this boy, by his forthrightness and familiarity even though they had just met. Oddly enough, though he didn't like anyone else touching him, he didn't mind it when this boy hugged him. It made him feel warm and content, like he had just come home. He had never really felt like this before.

It occurred to him that the other boy was still waiting for an answer. "I... suppose. What do you want to call me?"

"How about... Maxie? Then our names rhyme!"

"Maxie... I like it."

"Good!" Archie released him, but took his hand instead. "I'm really glad to meet you, Maxie. I've been waiting to meet my first soulmate for a long time, and I'm glad it was you."

Maxie smiled. "I'm glad to meet you too."

Archie grinned widely and tugged on his hand. "I wanna show you something. Come on! There's a really cool spot where we can sit and talk!"

Maxie followed Archie through some trees to another little patch of beach. Archie started to wade out into the water, heading towards a flat rock probably twice as tall as he was that was a few metres out from the shore, but Maxie stopped.

"I can't swim that far," he said, eyeing the water nervously, though it was calm with few waves.

"It's okay, watch!" Archie waded out a little further, leaving Maxie behind on the sand. Maxie watched as the water reached to Archie's waist, but never got higher even as he continued to walk. He returned to Maxie and took his hand again. "The water here doesn't get deeper than my waist until past that rock over there." He indicated a slightly smaller rock past the one he had been pulling Maxie to earlier. "It's totally safe, promise. Me an' Shelly come out here a lot. Trust me."

"...Okay." Maxie allowed his soulmate to pull him along. He was a little nervous at first, but Archie was indeed right: the water never got higher than his waist, and it was quite warm, though not as warm as the air was. It was nice.

When they reached the rock, Archie clambered up onto the top, then helped Maxie to climb up using some little hand- and footholds in the sides. Once they were both comfortably situated on the rock, Archie pointed out to sea.

"See those little huts way out there?" Maxie squinted hard and finally caught sight of some brown lumps that were barely distinguishable from houses at this distance. "That's where I come from. Pacifidlog Town. It floats on the sea, and everyone who lives there swims everywhere." Archie puffed out his chest. "I swam all the way here this morning."

"This morning? You swam alone from there to here?" Maxie could hardly believe it. "You must be an amazing swimmer."

"O' course! Everyone in town is. We all swim on Route 133 - there's some real strong currents there. Most people get swept away, but not us."

"That's amazing."

Archie nodded. "Where do you come from, Maxie?"

"I live near Rustboro City. Just outside it in a big house on a hill. I don't like it much."

"Rustboro, huh? That's really far away, but maybe I can come visit you. I can probably swim that far. It might take me a couple days, but I could do it."

Maxie looked at him fondly. "I know you could."

Archie beamed.

They sat and talked for a long time – about everything from Maxie's classes and Archie's home-schooling to how Maxie's parents never seemed to listen to him.

"Well, you could always come with me! I could pull you all the way to Pacifidlog – you could ride on my back, like you were a Trainer using Surf!"

Maxie giggled at the image. Archie looked a little surprised, but grinned.

Maxie liked his grin. It was like the sun, bright and warm. Archie's face was so expressive, not like Maxie's parents – they were always hiding what they felt. It was very cold.

"I should," Maxie muttered. "My nanny is so mean, and my parents never listen to me at all. I bet I'd like it better with you in Pacifidlog."

"Then let's go! You should grab your stuff and we can go now! My family would love you!"

Maxie locked eyes with Archie and grinned. Archie shivered a little despite the sun's warmth on his back – he'd never seen a grin that mean-looking. He wondered if Maxie had learned the expression from his father.

Maxie leapt off the rock and splashed into the water, heading back for the main beach. Archie scrambled to follow.

Maxie and Archie stood behind a bush, watching Maxie's nanny search for him. She was standing between them and Maxie's bag, and Maxie couldn't see a way around her.

"What if I distract her?" Archie whispered. "I could run past her and pretend to steal something from her, and she'd run after me."

"That could work," Maxie said. "Run fast."

Archie winked. "No problem, buddy."

Archie took off, running towards Maxie's nanny. He led her on a merry chase around the beach. Maxie ran towards his bag – freedom was so close -

And then his father was standing in front of him. "Maximilian. It's time to leave."

"But father – I -"

"No buts. We're leaving now."

Maximilian's father took hold of his arm and pulled him away from the beach – away from Archie. Maxie struggled, reaching out towards his soulmate, trying to protest, to tell his father what they were leaving behind, but words wouldn't come out.

Meanwhile, Archie had been caught by the nanny, who was screeching at him. He ignored her, searching the beach for Maxie, to find him being dragged away by his father.

"Maxie!"

Maxie and Archie locked eyes, tears trailing down Maxie's face. He raised a hand towards Archie, and Archie raised a hand in return – but then Maxie was gone, and Archie was left on the beach, feeling cold and alone despite the other people there.


End file.
